Sexual Health

Mr. Lansley
To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) when her Department expects to launch the £50 million advertising campaign to tackle the rise in sexually transmitted infections announced by her predecessor on 26 November 2004;

(2) what the total cost is of her Department's sexual health campaign launched on 11 November 2006;

(3) for what reasons her Department's sexual health campaign, launched on 11 November 2006, targets 18 to 24 year olds only.

Caroline Flint
Improving the nation's sexual health is a key Government priority and the Department launched its new adult sexual health campaign, Condom Essential Wear, on 9 November 2006.

The budget for this campaign is currently approximately £4 million this financial year. This is a significant level of funding, which has enabled us to produce an effective, integrated multi-media campaign targeting some of the hardest to reach young people who are most at risk of contracting sexually transmitted infections.

Condom Essential Wear, which involves TV, radio and press advertising backed by extensive public relations, partnership marketing and web and digital activity, primarily targets 18 to 24-year-olds who engage in sexually risky behaviour and who statistically are among the most at risk of contracting STIs. It has been developed on social marketing principles, which means it starts from the position of the consumer with the aim of bringing about long-term positive behavioural change.

It is one of three current Government campaigns working to improve sexual health and reduce teenage pregnancy, complementing the Department for Education and Skills’s teenage pregnancy campaigns R U Thinking, aimed at 13 to 16-year-olds, and Want Respect? Use a Condom, aimed at 16 to 18-year-olds. This integrated communications approach enables us to effectively target young people across the age groups.